Portugal is establishing itself as a privileged destination for luxury weddings, attracting ultra-rich clients, mostly Americans from the financial and technology sectors. Jasmine Lazzari, an Italian wedding planner based in Portugal for over 20 years, works in this highly demanding segment, having already carried out weddings that reached one million euros. For her standards, a wedding for 100 people costs no less than 350 thousand euros, including venue, catering, photography, music, and decoration. Clients primarily seek palaces and historic properties, such as in the Douro region, Porto, and Comporta, and are willing to turn the big day into a unique multi-day experience.
The wedding tourism market in Portugal is not new, existing since at least the 1980s, a period when Italy and the South of France remain as reference destinations. According to Jasmine, Portugal charges prices that are too low in the luxury segment compared to other European destinations, where a palace can cost five times more. The planner advocates for adjusting the offering to this target audience and abandoning the low-price mentality. In the Algarve, Paula Grade, founder of White Impact, has 104 celebrations scheduled for this year, all for foreign clients, including Irish, English, Americans, Canadians, and Brazilians.
According to Turismo de Portugal, foreign couples invested 158 million euros in Portugal in 2019, with the economic impact extending beyond services directly associated with the ceremony, covering restaurants, culture, commerce, and wellness. INE figures indicate that 2025 was the year with the most weddings in the last 15 years, with 37,714 couples tying the knot, 1,081 more than the previous year. Lisbon Wedding Planner focuses mainly on the European market, with emphasis on British and Irish clients, but also Brazilians and Americans, who extend their stay to explore the country.
Paula Grade states that Portugal still suffers from a perception of being a cheap destination, although she believes the country is progressively establishing itself among clients with greater purchasing power. The company offers a concierge service that goes beyond wedding planning, including experiences such as boat or horse rides. A Lisbon Wedding Planner employee acknowledges that Portugal benefits from a good international reputation, partially attributed to Cristiano Ronaldo, and that clients increasingly value locations with history, good gastronomy, favorable climate, and luxury hotels, transforming wedding tourism into a multi-million business.
